Simple Desoldering Technique

Intro: Simple Desoldering Technique

[[http://youtu.be/J0Emv9CJ0eg]] [[http://youtu.be/4HTIJTTsR9U]]

Thi is my simple desoldering technique that I have used for many years now.  If I find a component on an old circuit board and need it for use in my electronic experiments, then I always salvage them instead of buying brand new.  The first step is to identify the part or parts you require from the board (on this board, i am removing a microchip, photo 1), then plug in your soldering iron and switch on.  Photo 2 shows to heat one or two pins at a time of the chip.  When the solder has melted, quickly hit the circuit board on a hard surface, solder face down.  The molten solder from the heated pin or pins will drop off and solidify almost instantly on the table.  Continue to do this with every pin of the component.  The next step is to get a flat tool such, as a flat blade screwdriver or pen knife blade (Photo 3) to carefully prise the component from the board. Insert the tool under one side first, then under the other side.  This is to try and lift the chip out of the board vertically so not the bend any pins.  If the chip is hard to lift at any point, check that the solder has been removed completely, if not repeat step 2 on the offending pins.  Photos 4 and 5 show the component successfully removed and ready to be used on my breadboard.  I have embedded two youtube videos (if its worked correctly) to help show my technique.

Comments

[pfred2]

Heat it and beat it is widely known. Best form doing it is to use a torch, heat up a large part of the board, then slap it into an empty cardboard box. Hit on component side so parts fly into box. Doesn't work all the time, depends on board hole clearances. A word of caution though, torching printed circuit boards stinks to the high heavens. Do it outside.

How I salvage parts does work all the time, I use my solder pot. I put a board over the top of it, then simply lift off whatever part I want. Much like is depicted here:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Desoldering-tool/

This is my solder pot:

[pussiedoctor]

Having a solder pot is a great idea, I never thought of this. As you said, it is recomended to perform the heat and beat method outdoors because if the smell. Thankyou for sharing.

[pfred2]

You don't have to buy a solder pot either, all you need is a molten pool of solder. I saw a video of a guy in China that had a dished piece of sheet metal with molten solder in it over a heat source and he was rocking the parts. Had I seen that video before I bought my solder pot I think I would have saved my money.

[e1ioan]

This is great. You should embed the videos here.

[pussiedoctor]

Hi, thankyou for your comment, I am relatively new to posting on Instructables and not sure how to embed videos properly. I thought I had done it correctly. I only see at the top of my text is the web address for both youtube videos, but this doesn't appear as a link.
Also, you have sent me a patch?, not sure what these are either, but it appears to have given me a years pro membership. Thankyou very much.

[e1ioan]

Yeah, I sent you the patch and one year pro :-)
I really like your desoldering idea. I had so many troubles with desoldering and your technique just makes sense.

How to embed a video into instructables:
https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-embed-a-video-into-Instructables/